The invention pertains to the field of video games, and, more particularly, to the field of video games where multiple players may simultaneously control multiple characters and are encouraged by the game to cooperate in defeating a maze populated by longevity decreasing entities to obtain limited resources in the form of longevity increasing resources.
In prior video games, multi-player games have been available where each player controls a character independently and without being forced to cooperate by the game. One example is Dandy. In this game, each player may control his particular character in a maze, but the characters are not forced by the game to cooperate in negotiating the maze in the sense that each player may independently move his character off the screen to wander blindly, while the other players are manipulating their characters on the screen. In another game, Ali Baba, the players are also allowed to independently control the actions of their characters, but each player is assigned a time slice during play of the game and may control his character only during this time slice. The time slice is rotated so that each player may take a turn, but the players may not all simultaneously control their characters at the same time to independently or cooperatively negotiate the maze or defeat longevity decreasing entities in the maze. The characters do not need to be all in the same portion of the maze. Each character's portion of the maze is displayed independently during the character's time slice. Thus no cooperation between characters to negotiate the maze is forced by the game.
It is useful in a multi-player video game to allow any player to enter the game or leave at any time. This makes the game more social in the sense that a game may be started by any player or players and other players may join at will and begin cooperating or competing with the other players by simultaneously controlling his charater while the other players are manipulating their respective characters. Neither of the aforementioned games allows simultaneous control of all characters, independent entry and departure of players at will and forced cooperation between players. In Ali Baba, the players may enter and leave at any time, but may not all simultaneously control their characters. Further, there is no restriction on the characters wanderings through the maze in the sense that the display changes during each player's time slice to show the particular portion of the maze in which that player's character is located. The characters do not have to all be visible at all times in the same portion of the maze. In Dandy, there is no restriction which prevents the characters from leaving the visible area, and the players must all start at the same time. Thus, no current video game of which the applicants are aware provides the features of allowing the players to join the game or leave at any time and simultaneously control their characters. Further, the games known to the applicants do not encourage the players to cooperate in defeating the maze.